Monster
by peytona05
Summary: Nick enlists Hank's help to convince Juliette that Monroe isn't the monster she thinks he is. Final installment of my "Wooden Figurines" trilogy. *A/N: Canon pairings, for readers actually looking at the Characters category.*
1. Chapter 1

**The secret side of me I never let you see…My secret side I keep hid under lock and key…It's hiding in the dark; its teeth are razor sharp. There's no escape for me - it wants my soul, it wants my heart. No one can hear me scream. Maybe it's just a dream, or maybe it's inside of me…Why won't somebody come and save me from this? Make it end. I feel it deep within; it's just beneath the skin…I hate what I've become; the nightmare's just begun. I must confess that I feel like a monster. ~"Monster" (**_**Awake**_**, Skillet)**

xXxXx

Nick walked in the front door close to midnight. He'd had a rough two days, and he desperately needed a good night's rest. Just before turning to go upstairs, he saw Juliette asleep on the couch, surrounded by photograph albums. He wondered if they'd helped at all.

_Probably not. They haven't so far._

Nick had been sleeping on the couch, leaving the bedroom completely to Juliette. But she was already in a deep sleep, so instead of waking her to send her upstairs, Nick simply covered her with the quilt from Bud. He gently kissed the top of Juliette's head and whispered, "I love you," before heading upstairs to go to bed.

xXxXx

Monroe awoke the next morning on the couch, his lower back sore from his father's beating. He stood and rubbed his back, finding it sensitive to the touch.

"The things I do for Nick," the Blutbad groaned. But even as he said it, he smiled. He knew Nick would do the same.

Monroe's heart ached over the loss of his relationship with his parents, and just as he was sure his back would be sore for a few days, he was also certain that the heartache wouldn't leave easily.

Monroe opened his front door and slowly reached down for the morning newspaper. He looked up and saw a branch laying in the yard. He cringed as he realized that branch was probably what his dad had rammed into his back yesterday.

Seeing the branch reminded Monroe that Juliette had been there when the attack happened. Just before Monroe had tackled her to the ground, she'd had a look of fear on her face. It made him wonder what she'd seen. Had his father woged before attacking? If Juliette had seen Monroe's dad morph, it would definitely explain the expression she'd worn.

Monroe made his way back inside. Glancing at the clock, he figured Nick would probably be up by now. He picked his phone up from the coffee table and replaced it with the paper. Easing himself onto the couch, Monroe speed-dialed the Grimm.

xXxXx

Juliette found herself covered with Bud's quilt. It took her a moment to remember that she'd fallen asleep on the couch, thinking about that thing she'd seen in Monroe's yard…about how she'd watched Monroe change into something else…about the strange hang-up Nick had about going after these creatures.

Juliette was frightened. She had no way of knowing how many different kinds of monsters were out there, and honestly, she didn't think she wanted to stick around and find out. She wasn't sure she had the _stamina_ to stick around.

After folding the quilt and placing it on the back of the couch, Juliette made her way upstairs. The door to the guest bathroom was closed, and water was running; Nick must have been taking a shower. Juliette walked into the bedroom, retrieving her suitcase from the closet. She had no idea where she would go, but she was too afraid to stay there.

As Juliette was packing her bag, Nick's phone started to ring. She went to the nightstand it was on and saw Monroe's name flashing on the screen.

Her heart pounded, and she almost didn't answer the phone. But just before it would have gone to voicemail, Juliette took the call.

"Nick's phone."

xXxXx

Monroe was startled to hear Juliette answer the phone. "Juliette? Hey…it's Monroe. How are you doing?"

There was a pause. "I'm, uh…I'm actually not feeling well this morning. What do you need?"

_Uh-oh. Not good._ "Well, I wanted to talk to Nick, but…you'll work, too. Um…you came by yesterday. How come?"

xXxXx

For a moment, Juliette couldn't remember why she'd stopped by Monroe's place. "Nick said that you weren't feeling well; I just wanted to see how you were." She swallowed. "Um…are you better?"

"From the camping trip? Yeah, but I woke up this morning with…a backache. Listen, um…oh god, Juliette, I don't know how to ask you this, but…um, when you were here yesterday - "

Juliette couldn't take it anymore. She stopped him before he said another word. "Monroe, I don't know what that thing was in your yard yesterday, and I don't know what happened to you, but I hope to God I never see it again."

xXxXx

Monroe exhaled deeply. _Damn. So she did see Dad woge, and apparently so did I. I don't even remember that happening._

"Juliette, listen to me, please. I can explain. Just let me talk to Nick first."

"I don't want an explanation. All I know is that you're some kind of a monster, and I want you to stay the hell away from me."

Monroe was starting to panic. "You don't understand. I'm the same guy you've always known; it's just that now you know something else about me. Juliette, it's not what you think, I swear. _Please_ let me come over, and Nick and I will explain everything._"_

xXxXx

Juliette was on the verge of tears. "Save it, because I don't want to hear it. Nick tried explaining once before, and it scared me then, just like it's scaring me now."

"You don't have to be afraid of me!" Monroe exclaimed. "I'm your friend, and I won't hurt you."

Juliette barely heard him. "No, you're not. You're a monster…and Nick's a monster hunter, and there's probably a secret compartment in his aunt's trailer where he keeps the hides of everything he's ever killed."

With that, the tears came, and Juliette hung up the phone.

xXxXx

Monroe heard the line go dead, and he gasped at the impact of Juliette's words.

_Nick tried explaining before, and it scared me…His aunt's trailer…_

"There's no way. Juliette's got her memory back."

xXxXx

Nick exited the bathroom a few minutes later in a pair of jeans and running a towel through his wet hair. He heard movement in the bedroom and walked that direction.

Before he even entered the room, Nick saw Juliette's suitcase laying open on the bed, and there were clothes inside. His mind began to race for an explanation.

"Juliette," he called. "What's going on?"

She came out of the master bathroom carrying an overnight back and various personal hygiene products.

"I can't do this anymore, Nick," she said as she placed her body wash and shampoo in the bag. "I just called Kelly from work; I'm going to stay with her for a few days."

Nick couldn't believe what he was hearing. "Wait…what? Why?"

xXxXx

There was no way Juliette could look at Nick, or she would fall apart again. "I need a break. This just isn't working right now. Please, Nick, don't ask me to stay. Just let me go."

Juliette closed her overnight bag, then zipped the suitcase. She brushed past Nick without so much as a glance and started walking down the hallway.

xXxXx

It took Nick a moment to realize Juliette was serious. He followed her down to the first floor.

"Juliette, wait a minute," he pleaded. "I don't understand….Will you at least tell me when you're coming back?"

She stopped with her hand on the door handle. "I don't know. Don't come after me, Nick. I need to do this."

With that, she walked out the front door and shut it behind her, leaving Nick alone in the foyer with tears streaming down his face.


	2. Chapter 2

Monroe was well past _beginning_ to panic; he was on the verge of a full-blown panic attack. Juliette had gotten her memory back, and she knew everything. Not only that, but she was afraid of what she knew.

The Blutbad couldn't blame her. The fact that Juliette had flipped out was completely understandable. However, what had sent Monroe into panic mode was the way she now viewed him. Juliette had called him a monster. He'd been trying for years to overcome that stereotype and leave it in the past. But every so often it would rear its ugly head, and it had just done it again.

And what was worse was the way she'd referred to Nick. If Monroe truly was a monster, then it stood to reason for Nick to be a monster hunter. But even though the phrase may have been an accurate depiction of Nick's ancestors, it just…it wasn't Nick.

_Oh my god…Nick. I wonder if he's talked to Juliette yet._

Monroe redialed the Grimm's number, but when he didn't get an answer, he left a message.

"Nick, it's Monroe. Listen, I tried calling you a few minutes ago, and Juliette picked up. Give me a call back A.S.A.P. We've got trouble."

He ended the call, then speed-dialed Rosalee.

xXxXx

"Hello?" the Fuchsbau said groggily.

"Rosalee, it's Monroe. Are you busy?"

"Well, I was sleeping, but I guess it can wait. What's going on?" She yawned.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Listen, there may be a problem. I tried calling Nick, but he's not answering. Can you meet me at his place?"

The mention of trouble awoke Rosalee. "What kind of problem?"

"Juliette has her memory back."

"Didn't you say 'problem'? That's good news."

"Did I mention that she thinks I'm a monster?"

"Oh…yeah, that's…that's no so good. Wait a second. How do you know this?"

"Look, can you just meet me at Nick's? It's not like him to not pick up when I call, and I'm worried about him. I'll tell you both everything when we get there."

"Yeah, sure. Do you feel okay to drive, or would you rather me come pick you up?"

"I think I'll be all right. See you in twenty?"

"I'll be there."

xXxXx

Nick sat on the couch, shocked and overwhelmed by Juliette's departure.

_What could I have done differently? Did I give her enough space…too much space? Did I push too hard, trying to get her to remember me? What did I do wrong to make her leave?_

He leaned over to pick up a photo album and realized he still carried the towel he'd been using to dry his hair.

Absentmindedly, Nick walked upstairs to the guest bathroom and returned the towel to its proper place. He then went into the bedroom to pick a clean shirt from his closet.

_What did I do with that shirt Jack "borrowed" yesterday? Oh right…I tossed it in the dirty clothes hamper._

Nick sighed as he retrieved his phone from the night stand. He saw that Monroe had called, and after listening to the Blutbad's message, Nick returned the call.

xXxXx

Monroe had just turned onto Nick's street when his phone rang.

_Nick._ "Hey, buddy. Did you get my message?"

"Yeah, just now. I don't suppose it can wait."

_Man, he sounds tired or sick…or something._ "No, not really. Hold on, I'm just now pulling up to your house, and Rosalee's right behind me. Let us in, and I'll explain."

Monroe heard Nick sigh. "I'll be right down."

They both hung up as Monroe exited his Beetle. He groaned as he walked to Rosalee's car to hold her door open.

"What's wrong?" she asked. "Is your back still hurting?"

"Like hell." He raised the back of his shirt so Rosalee could see the bruises. "How bad are they, honestly?"

xXxXx

Rosalee had never seen anything like them. They covered the entire span of his lower back, from left to right, and appeared to measure about two inches in width.

"Mmm…it's no wonder you're hurting. They look worse than they did yesterday. They're going to be there a while."

"Great, that's just what I wanted to hear." Monroe sniffed the air as he looked up and down the street. "Something's definitely not right. Juliette's car is gone."

Nick opened the door just as Rosalee and Monroe reached the front step, and he motioned for them to come inside.

xXxXx

It was all Monroe could do not to tell Nick that he looked rough. The Blutbad could tell his friend had been crying, and that left Monroe with a bad feeling. He tried to be subtle about finding out why, though he couldn't help but wonder if it had anything to do with what Juliette had told him.

"Hey, um…I didn't see Juliette's car outside. Is she here?"

Nick cleared his throat. "No…she's not, actually. She's staying with a friend for a few days, and she just left." He paused. "And I don't know why."

Monroe hesitated. "I think I do."

He felt Rosalee's hand on his arm as he watched Nick's head turn quickly in his direction.

Monroe motioned toward the living room. "Maybe we should sit down. I called you earlier this morning, and Juliette picked up. And she sounded scared out of her mind, man."

"She didn't say anything about talking to you…she just left."

Monroe sighed. "The reason I called was because she stopped by my house yesterday, and I wanted to know if she mentioned it to you. She got there right before my dad attacked me, and from what she told me this morning, I think she saw him woge…and that I woged when he hit me with that branch."

Rosalee gasped. "So…she saw you change?"

Monroe glanced at her, then looked again at Nick. "Yeah…it brought her memory back."

xXxXx

Nick's heart broke all over again. The possibility of Juliette regaining her memory took Nick back to just a few weeks earlier, when he'd tried to tell her about his heritage. He had thought she was ready to leave him then, and she might have if not for passing out in Monroe's living room. Nick remembered how afraid she'd been…of him, as well as what he was telling her.

"So you're telling me that she…?"

xXxXx

Monroe could tell his voice was going to break, even before he spoke. "She left because of me. She thinks I'm a monster."

xXxXx

Rosalee watched as tears formed in both Nick's and Monroe's eyes. The fact that her two closest friends were hurting so deeply brought tears to her eyes as well, and she rose from her chair and knelt on the floor in front of the couch, where the guys were sitting. She lay her head on Monroe's knee, and as she reach out to take Nick's hand, her own tears began to fall.


	3. Chapter 3

Monroe stroked Rosalee's hair, albeit somewhat awkwardly, as she cried. He'd had no idea that she would be so affected by what had happened. For crying out loud, she and Juliette had never officially met. But he knew that Rosalee cared for Nick as much as he did, and that was the most probably cause of her tears.

With his free hand, Monroe wiped tears away from his own eyes. He looked at Nick, whose face was also wet from crying.

"Nick, there's got to be something we can do to bring her back. I know she belongs with you, and that's the main reason for getting her to come home. But I do have my own motives for wanting to change her mind." He paused. "I don't want to be seen as a monster. I spent enough of my life being viewed that way, and honestly, I'd rather not go there again."

xXxXx

Nick ran the back of his hand across his eyes to dry the tears.

"I know you don't," he agreed shakily. "And I don't want you to. What I want is for Juliette to come home where she belongs, but I don't know how to do that. She told me where she's staying, but she also told me not to go after her."

xXxXx

At that point, Rosalee lifted her head from Monroe's lap and looked at him.

"I know you carry a handkerchief. Can I borrow it?"

The Blutbad looked at her quizzically as he reached into his back pocket, groaning when his sore back protested. "Here."

Rosalee wiped her eyes dry, then proceeded to blow her nose into the hankie. She offered it back, but Monroe refused to take it.

"Keep it," he said tersely. "I have a spare at home."

She couldn't help but chuckle softly at the expression on his face. He looked almost…repulsed by the thought of his handkerchief housing someone else's mucus.

"I'll throw it in to wash when I do laundry again," the Fuchsbau said, then took a deep breath. "All right, back to Juliette. I know Hank's out of town, but honestly, he may be our best bet at getting her home. When is his return flight?"

Nick shrugged. "Tomorrow, sometime. He drove himself to the airport Thursday night evening after work, and he left his car there."

"Maybe we should give him a call," Rosalee suggested. "Fill him in on what's happened, and find out when he's coming home."

Rosalee and Monroe watched Nick remove his phone from his pocket. "That's a good idea."

xXxXx

All of a sudden, Monroe started worrying about something. "Hold a sec. Hank's still getting used to the whole…Grimm-Wesen…thing. I mean, he _will_ help us, right?"

"I don't know a lot right now, but I do know that Hank completely understands where Juliette is coming from," Nick said. "Rosalee's right; he's our only option…_because_ he's still getting used to it all."

Monroe nodded his agreement. "Call him."

xXxXx

Hank was in the middle of wrapping a tie around his neck when he heard his cell phone ring.

"Griffin…talk to me."

"Hey, it's Nick. Listen, are you where you can talk?"

"Nick, it' Sunday morning, and I'm at my mama's house. She's real funny about having her family in church for the eleven o'clock service. I'm already running late, so what is it?"

"You've gotta get out of it. This is an emergency. Monroe and Rosalee are here, and we've got you on speaker phone."

"An emergency, huh? All right, give me a sec."

_What the hell kind of an emergency requires a conference call between two cops and a couple of sub-species creatures?_

Hank walked down the hall and knocked on his mother's bedroom door. "Mom, may I come in?"

Mrs. Griffin opened the door and walked past her son. "Hank, your tie isn't straight. Fix it, and come on to the car. We're going to be late."

"You're going to have to go without me. My partner's on the phone, and he's having some…trouble…with a case. He needs me to walk him through it by phone."

Hank sighed inwardly. More than anything, he hoped Nick would prove him right, so he wouldn't have to feel guilty about lying to his mother.

Mrs. Griffin momentarily stopped walking, then started again. "Well, duty calls, I guess. Try to make it if you can, though. Do you still have the spare to your father's pickup?"

"Yes ma'am. If I can make it, I'll meet you there." He kissed his mother goodbye, and as soon as she shut the door behind her, Hank returned the phone to his ear. "All right, I'm alone. Rosalee, Monroe, how are you?"

xXxXx

Monroe groaned. "Dude, don't even get me started, because I've definitely felt better."

"Why…what happened?"

The Blutbad counted off on his fingers. "Well, let's see…I went camping and came home early because of a tick bite. My parents surprised me by dropping in for a visit, and I got clobbered by my dad - "

"Damn!" Hank exclaimed. "You've had one hell of a weekend."

"And he's not done yet, either," Rosalee piped up. "That was just Friday and Saturday. You won't believe what happened this morning. Juliette got her memory back…and she left."

"Hence this emergency meeting of the Grimm-Helpers Anonymous Club," Nick added. "See, here's the thing: Right before Juliette went into a coma, I told her everything…just like I told you. She flipped out even worse than you did. She was at Monroe's yesterday when his dad attacked him, and she saw him woge."

"That's what triggered her memory," Monroe said.

"Right," Nick agreed. "She left this morning, and with the way she was talking, she wasn't making any sense. I didn't even know she'd gotten her memory back until Monroe showed up and told me he'd called and talked to her before she split."

"Okay, so…do you know where she went?" Hank asked.

"She's staying with a friend from work," Nick responded. "But she doesn't want me coming after her. That's why I need your help."

xXxXx

Hank wondered what he was supposed to do from two time zones away.

"Monroe and Rosalee are right there. Why do you need me?"

"Juliette hasn't met Rosalee, and Monroe is…well, he's kinda the reason she left. That leaves you. She knows you; she _trusts_ you. But you've also got an advantage that we don't have. You're normal…you got sucked into this world by accident, just like Juliette did. You understand her position better than we ever could."

Hank sighed. "What do you want me to do?"

xXxXx

Nick and the Wesen all breathed a sigh of relief.

"What time does your flight land tomorrow?" the Grimm asked.

"Well, I'll have to double check my ticket, but I wanna say around twelve-thirty PST."

"The first chance you get tomorrow, call Juliette. Tell her…You know what? I don't know what you could tell her that won't make me sound needy."

"Dude, there's nothing that won't make you sound needy," Monroe said.

They heard Hank laugh. "You know he's right. Look, why don't I just ask how's she doing, if she remembers anything? With any luck, she'll open up to me and tell me herself that she got her memory back…and how she got it back."

"What if that doesn't work?" Rosalee wanted to know.

"Then I'll improvise," Hank replied. "But like Nick said, she trusts me, right? What do you want me to do after that?"

Nick looked at his friends before answering. "Get her to meet me somewhere."

Monroe punched Nick in the arm. "You're not leaving me out of this, man. I'm coming too."

"Me too," Rosalee said.

xXxXx

Hank smiled. His partner had some good friends, and despite his initial reservations, Hank was glad he was getting to know both the Blutbad and the Fuchsbau.

"Meet you guys where?"

"It should probably be somewhere neutral, don't you think?" Rosalee asked.

"Yeah," Monroe agreed. "Not here, and definitely not at my place."

"Probably not at the spice shop either," Hank added. "One look at what's on the shelves, and Juliette's going to trust Rosalee about as much as she trusts Nick." He paused. "Hold on…Monroe, Nick said she saw you change. That means she knows about you too. Right?"

"Yeah…and you took the news a hell of a lot better than she did."

"That bad, huh? No wonder your place isn't an option. Look, if you're serious about this 'neutral zone', why don't you just meet at my place when Juliette gets off work? Nick, you've got a key to my front door, right? You, Rosalee, and Monroe can just go on in and make yourselves comfortable."

"You should probably be there, Hank," Nick told him. "More than likely, Juliette will feel like we're ganging up on her if she doesn't have another 'normal' person to help balance things out."

Hank nodded. "Got it. I'll call you after I talk to her. Until you hear from me…try not to worry about it. Anything else?"

"Nope, I think that's it. Thanks, Hank. I'll talk to you tomorrow."

Hank ended the call and checked the time…eleven-thirty. He didn't see any point in driving over to the church this late in time. He went back upstairs and changed out of his suit, thinking about the friends he had back in Portland.


	4. Chapter 4

Rosalee looked at her friends. "Okay..so we wait. What do we do until Hank comes home?"

"Well, I don't know about you two," Monroe began, "but I need an ice pack, and maybe some pain reliever, for my back."

Nick rose from the couch. "Make yourself comfortable, and I'll see what I can find. Rosalee, can I get you anything?"

"No thanks," she responded as she stood and walked to the chair she'd been sitting in earlier. Just before she sat, something on the mantle caught her attention, and Rosalee moved that direction.

Upon closer inspection, she saw that she was looking at the wooden pieces that Nick had shown her yesterday in her shop. They were standing back to back, slightly at an angle so that they were also looking outward.

"Nick said you made these. They're really good."

xXxXx

Monroe grunted in pain as he stretched out on the couch. Once on his belly, he replied, "Thanks. Did he tell you who they are?"

"Yeah…you two. You know, we're really lucky to have a friend like him. He doesn't see us for what we are, but what we can be."

"Nobody has ever looked at me like that before. When Nick first started coming to me for help, all I was really interested in was getting him in and out of my house as quickly as possible. But I think…I think one thing that really clinched the friendship for me was the way he never threatened me. He never gave me a reason to distrust him, and I liked that. The fact is, Nick didn't know what he was doing, and I was his only link to the Wesen world. It was the first time anyone had depended on me for something that really mattered. I'll never be able to pay him back for that."

xXxXx

Nick stood just inside the kitchen, listening to what Monroe was saying. He hadn't meant to eavesdrop, but the Blutbad had started talking just as Nick was about to walk into the living room. He'd quickly ducked back into the kitchen before he was seen.

It was a guy thing, he figured, but he and Monroe never talked about what their friendship meant to each other. As for Nick, he was just glad Monroe had never slammed the door in his face. Maybe in the beginning, he'd taken advantage of Monroe's Wesen knowledge, but there had been no one else for him to turn to. Monroe had proven himself trustworthy, and Nick was grateful for the Blutbad's friendship.

Nick was brought out of his thoughts by Rosalee's voice. He didn't catch what she said, but heard every word of Monroe's response.

"I'm really hoping that Juliette will come back, and give me another chance. I don't want to go back to being seen as a monster."

xXxXx

Rosalee's heart broke for Monroe. The expression on his face and the tone of his voice showed how badly he'd been hurt by Juliette's words. She cared deeply for Monroe, and she hated seeing him like this.

Just then, Nick returned from the kitchen. "All right Monroe, here's your aspirin and your ice pack."

Rosalee watched the guys as Monroe popped the pills into his mouth and swallowed them dry, then told Nick which side of his back needed the ice the most.

She moved away from the mantle and returned to her chair as her friends - "her guys", she called them to herself - started talking about what the trio could do to keep their minds off Juliette.

Rosalee and Monroe ended up staying with Nick the entire day, watching movies and playing card games, and just spending time in each other's company.

xXxXx

The trio ordered a vegetarian pizza for a late dinner, and enjoyed it while playing of Uno and watching Disney's _Peter Pan_. Nick and Rosalee couldn't help but chuckle as Monroe talked right along with the movie.

"'This won't do; what's the matter with you? All it takes is faith and trust…oh, and something I forgot: Dust.' 'Dust?' 'Uh-huh, just a little bit of pixie dist.'"

The Blutbad stopped and looked at his friends when he realized they were laughing. "Oh right…like you two don't ever do that."

The Grimm and the Fuchsbau glanced at each other and shook their heads negatively as they chuckled some more.

Honestly, Monroe didn't care if his friends laughed. With the weekend they'd had, he felt like everyone needed something to lighten the mood. If he could provide a distraction from what he and his friends were worried about, then he didn't mind the laughter. He knew that, in reality, Nick and Rosalee were laughing _with_ him, instead of _at_ him, and that made all the difference.

xXxXx

Rosalee, sitting on the floor between the couch and the chair, tapped Nick's arm and nodded in Monroe's direction. The Blutbad had fallen asleep on the couch.

Nick rose from the chair, shut off the TV, and walked over to the couch. Placing the ice pack on the coffee table, Nick pulled Bud's quilt from the back of the couch and covered Monroe with it.

"Good idea," Rosalee whispered. "I know it isn't super late, but I'd rather him not go home to an empty house. With everything he's been through this weekend, I'd feel better if he stayed here."

"What about you?" Nick asked as he offered a hand to pull Rosalee to her feet. "You're going home to an empty house…er, shop."

"I know, but I don't have a hurt back that would keep me from fully defending myself…should anything happen. At least here, Monroe's on your turf, and he's got you to look out for him. And don't worry, Nick, okay? Hank will come through for us, and he'll get Juliette to come home. Deep down, she still loves you and this is where she belongs."

Nick nodded. "Right. Well, even though I've still got another day off, you have to work tomorrow. Can I walk you to your car?"

"Sure, just give me a second." Rosalee knelt again by the couch and gently ran the back of her fingers across Monroe's cheek, careful not to wake him.

"It'll all work out, Monroe. You'll see," she whispered before kissing the Blutbad on the cheek. "Good night."

xXxXx

Nick smiled as he watched the tender moment in front of him. It left an ache iin his chest for Juliette, but he was glad to see Monroe finally receiving some romantic attention. He'd always been told that there was no love like that of a good woman; Juliette and Rosalee both fell into that category.

Nick walked the Fuchsbau to her car, opening and shutting her door like he'd been taught. Rosalee rolled her window down to say good night, and before she raised it again, Nick made sure he told her how much he appreciated her friendship.

He watched her drive away, and once she'd rounded the corner, Nick returned inside. He cut the lights off in the living room and the kitchen, then made his way upstairs to go to bed.

As he was brushing his teeth, Nick realized he'd forgotten to tell Rosalee he would call her after hearing from Hank. He rinsed his mouth out, then sent her a quick text message, so she'd know to be expecting his call tomorrow.

The Grimm shed his clothes and climbed into bed, where sleep would not come easily.

xXxXx

**A/N: Peter Pan belongs to J.M. Barrie and Walt Disney.**


	5. Chapter 5

Hank was packing the last of his things when his mother knocked on the bedroom's open door.

"I didn't get a chance to ask you yesterday, but did you get everything worked out with your partner?"

"Uh…yeah, mostly. There are a couple calls Nick needs me to make…you know, just to, uh, double check some facts, but I can do that from my cell. I think he's got the rest of it under control."

_Well, _Hank thought, _that's _mostly_ the truth. It's just as vague as I can get it, and hopefully Mom won't ask what kind of "case" we're working on._

"In fact, Mom, I should probably make those calls while I'm thinking about it, so if you'll excuse me…"

Hank watched his mother leave the room, and he shut the door behind her. He then pulled his phone out of his shirt pocket and dialed Juliette's number, hoping that she hadn't gone into work early.

xXxXx

Juliette's phone rang just as she was walking out the door.

"Hello?"

"Juliette, it's Hank. How are you?"

"I'm okay," she fibbed. _I've been better._

"Well, listen…I'm trying to get a hold of Nick, but he isn't answering his phone. Can I talk to him, please?"

xXxXx

Hank didn't like lying to Juliette, but he didn't know any other way to get her to talk about what had happened over the weekend, not without letting on that he already know.

"I'm actually not at home, Hank," he heard her say. "I stayed with a friend last night."

The cop knew he was about to be walking on thin ice, and he chose his words carefully. "Did something happen, Juliette? Is everything okay?"

xXxXx

Juliette cranked her car as she tried to think of an answer. She didn't think Hank would go behind her back and talk to Nick about her, but she had no idea if he knew what Nick really was.

"Well…have you ever found something out about someone, that you really wish you hadn't?"

"Yeah…I think I know what you mean."

Juliette sighed before continuing. "Before I went into the hospital, Nick tried to tell me something about his family, and until Saturday, I didn't remember anything about it, because I couldn't remember Nick. But I got my memory back, and I'm really freaked out by what I remember."

xXxXx

Hank tried to feign surprise. "You're kidding. How'd you get it back?"

"Something I saw at Monroe's, and honestly, I'm not altogether crazy about him right now either."

The cop hadn't come up with any idea of how to convince Juliette to see Nick, but he felt like she may have just solved that problem for him.

"Juliette, I know you're not looking for my opinion - especially since I called you - but can I give it anyway?"

"Sure."

"I think you need to talk to Nick, and maybe Monroe too, from the way you're talking. What do you think about that?"

xXxXx

Juliette bit her lip hesitantly. When she didn't answer right away, she heard Hank speak again.

"What if I was there, Juliette, as sort of a mediator? We could meet at my place…maybe tonight after you get off work. How does that sound?"

Juliette sighed as she pulled into the parking lot. "Yeah, fine. Okay, I'll talk to them. Would you mind coming to pick me up from work?"

"You afraid you'll chicken out if I don't?" Hank asked.

"Sort of. Just to keep me from, you know, changing my mind. I get off at five."

xXxXx

Hank nodded, even as he realized she couldn't see what he was doing. "I'll be there, waiting for you. In the meantime, if I happen to get a hold of Nick, I'll let him know."

"All right, well…I'm at work now, Hank, so I'll see you tonight. Oh, by the way, how was your brother's wedding?"

"It was really nice," he answered, then proceeded to fib again. "that's actually why I've been calling Nick. I can't wait until I'm home to tell him about it."

_I'll have to remember to do that._ Hank couldn't help but smile at the thought.

"Juliette, before I let you go…whatever it was that Nick told you, I'm sure it was because he loves you. You know that, right?"

There was a pause. "All I know is what I saw on Saturday. Believe me, Hank; if you knew what I know, you'd be questioning your relationship with Nick too."

Hank had to bite his tongue to keep from saying what he was thinking. _Actually, I was more worried about my sanity, but I can see how the friendship could've been in trouble too._

Instead he said, "Well, I hope you and Nick can get it all worked out. I'll see you at five."

Hank ended the call, then speed-dialed his partner to tell him that Juliette had unknowingly agreed to the Grimm's plan.

xXxXx

Monroe awoke to the sound of Nick's voice coming down from upstairs, and it took him a moment to realize where he was. The last thing he recalled was watching _Peter Pan_ with Nick and Rosalee.

_I must have fallen asleep on the couch._

He groaned as he sat up; his lower back still hurt. He ran his fingers through his hair as he yawned, then muttered to himself, "One of these days I'm going to stop sleeping on the couch. I haven't slept in my own bed since Thursday night."

Just then Nick walked through the living room, his phone to his ear. "All right, Hank, we'll see you tonight at your place…Yes, I do still have my key…Have a safe flight. Bye."

Nick ended the call. "Morning. Let me call Rosalee; I'll put her on speaker, and I'll tell you both at the same time what I found out from Hank."

"Good news?" Monroe asked.

"Well…I'm more optimistic than I was twenty-four hours ago," Nick responded. "For now, let's just leave it at that."

xXxXx

Rosalee was glad to hear Juliette had been willing to see the guys. But thing still concerned her a little.

"Guys, I know Juliette doesn't know me from Adam, but I'm not sitting this meeting out. How are we going to explain my presence?"

She heard Nick's voice on the other end. "Rosalee, I wouldn't dream of asking you to not be there. You're my friend, the same as Monroe, and I want Juliette to get to know _both _of you. Don't worry; we'll figure something out. Close up the shop early, and meet me and Monroe here. We're leaving for Hank's at four-thirty."


	6. Chapter 6

Juliette spent the entire day wondering if she'd done the right thing by agreeing to Hank's suggestion about talking to Nick.

When he'd tried to talk to her before, she'd thought he was crazy. But then…then she'd seen that _thing _in Monroe's yard…and Monroe had turned into some sort of monster right before her eyes. Maybe she was the crazy one, instead of Nick.

And Monroe…he'd always seemed so human. True, he came across as being a little odd sometimes, but Juliette had just chalked it up to his being a clockmaker. What in the world was he, really? And why on earth was she meeting with someone - some_thing _- she was so afraid of?

These thoughts continued to run through Juliette's mind even as she walked out to Hank's car at five. It briefly crossed her mind that he looked like he knew something, but she was so wrapped up in her thoughts that she didn't even wonder what he might have known.

xXxXx

Hank pulled into his driveway and shut off the engine. Before getting out of the car, he looked at Juliette. "You ready?"

"I don't know," she whispered.

"When I talked to Nick, he was glad to hear you were willing to talk to him." Hank paused. "Juliette, it's not what you think, okay? Don't forget that, whatever's about to happen."

He watched as she bit her lip, and he tried to figure out what she was thinking. When she didn't respond, he got out and walked around to open her door. Together they walked to the house and went inside.

xXxXx

Monroe and Rosalee waited on the couch in the living room as Nick met Hank and Juliette at the door.

Rosalee reached out and put her hand on the Blutbad's shoulder. "It's going to be fine. You'll see."

"What if it's not? What if we explain everything, and she still sees us as monsters, and still wants nothing to do with Nick?"

She shrugged. "Then…we move on…and live life the best we can."

Rosalee scooted closer to Monroe and wrapped her arms around his waist in a gentle hug, and couldn't help but lean in just a little bit as he placed an arm around her shoulders to return the embrace.

xXxXx

"Juliette…hey," Nick said somewhat awkwardly as his girlfriend walked through the front door. "I'm glad you came, and so is Monroe. He's in the living room; he brought along a friend he'd like you to meet, so, um…"

He didn't know how to finish the sentence, so he let his voice trail off.

Hank stepped in, though, to fill the silence. "Well, let's not keeping them waiting. Shall we?"

xXxXx

Monroe and Rosalee stood as Nick and the others entered the room.

"Hank, welcome home," the Blutbad said. "Juliette…it's good to see you. This is Rosalee."

The Fuchsbau stretched her hand out, but Juliette ignored it. Instead, she bit her lip nervously and told Monroe, "Yesterday you said you wanted to talk; you wanted to _explain_. I don't know how long I'll feel like staying, so while I'm here…I wanna know what that thing was in your yard."

The Blutbad couldn't help but cringe at the way Juliette sounded…defensive, hurt, and a little angry. Trying to avoid going on the defensive himself, Monroe responded calmly, That 'thing' was my father."

"Just what are you?"

"I'm a Blutbad. In your world, my ancestors would be the 'big bad wolves.' You know the stories 'The Three Little Pigs' or 'Little Red Riding Hood'? That's my family…my bloodline. Every full moon and every Halloween, some kid swears up and down he sees one on every corner and under every street light. But what that kid doesn't realize is that just a couple of blocks away lives a Blutbad, masquerading as a lonely old clockmaker, trying to fit into society and live as normal a life as possible." Monroe paused, trying to keep the tears at bay. "I wanted to tell you yesterday - I _tried_ to tell you yesterday - that I won't hurt you. I'm the same guy you've always known; only now you know everything. I still want to be your friend, Juliette."

xXxXx

Juliette wasn't sure what to make of what Monroe was telling her. On the one hand, she was still afraid of him, especially since he was admitting to having some strange strand of wolf DNA in his blood. But her heart was breaking for him, as she heard him refer to himself as more or less a social misfit.

Her eyes wandered to the girl that had tagged along with Nick and Monroe.

"Are you like him?" she asked.

xXxXx

Rosalee blinked, surprised that Juliette was speaking to her. "Sort of. I'm a Fuchsbau..er, a fox," she answered. "I'm a vegetarian, just like a Monroe, so you don't have to worry about me trying to hurt you, either."

She hesitated, trying to decide if what she was thinking would be beneficial to the conversation. However, Monroe spoke again, and he voiced her exact thoughts.

"Juliette, even if we were still hunters, we wouldn't come after you. See, Nick's our friend, and you're part of his territory. That makes you off limits, because to Wesen, territory is sacred. It's something to be respected."

xXxXx

More than anything, Monroe wanted to prove to Juliette that she could trust him. But he wasn't sure he was getting through. He opened his mouth to speak again, but closed it when he saw Juliette look at Hank.

"You knew about them, didn't you?" she asked.

"Yes," came the simple answer. "I just found out a couple weeks ago, and when it all came out, I was just as freaked out as you. But it's not so bad; it just takes some getting used to. "

xXxXx

Juliette blinked tears away and cleared her throat before speaking again. She pointed at Monroe and Rosalee.

"Guys, I want the honest truth. You trust them…right?"

xXxXx

Nick answered immediately. "With my life, no questions asked."

xXxXx

Hank glanced at the Wesen, then at his partner before responding. "Nick does. That's good enough for me."

xXxXx

"That's exactly how Rosalee and I feel about you," Monroe told Hank. He then looked back at Juliette. "A minute ago, I was talking about territory, and how you're part of Nick's. As far as I'm concerned, Nick is part of _my_ territory, and I would do whatever is necessary to protect him. Because of your relationship with him, I'd do the same for you…and for Hank."

"Is that why you tackled me on Saturday?" Juliette asked.

"Yeah. I didn't know what you saw behind me; all I knew was that I didn't want you to get hurt. Juliette, I swear I'm not the monster you think I am. And for the record, Nick's not a monster hunter. He's just a Grimm…trying to do the right thing."

"And so is Monroe," Nick piped up. "You can trust him, Juliette. I swear it."

xXxXx

Juliette bit her lip hesitantly as she looked first at Nick, then back at Monroe. "I trusted you before, when you were just a human."

"I was never 'just a human'," Monroe said.

"But you were to me. If you're really still the same guy, then I should be able to trust you now." She paused. "I'd like to try, and the best way I know how is to start completely over." Juliette extended her hand. "I'm Juliette, Nick's girlfriend."

xXxXx

The Blutbad was taken slightly off guard, but he accepted Juliette's hand. "Monroe, Nick's Blutbad tour guide to the Wesen world. And this is Rosalee - "

"Their Fuchsbau sidekick," she said.

Juliette took Rosalee's hand in hers. "It's nice to meet you."

xXxXx

Nick smiled as he watched Juliette interact with his Wesen friends. _And to think this wouldn't have happened if Monroe hadn't agreed to go on a camping trip with me. He wouldn't have gotten sick from that tick bite, and Juliette wouldn't have wanted to go to his house to make sure he was all right. She wouldn't have seen him woge when his dad attacked him, and that would have meant she wouldn't get her memory back._

Despite everything that had gone wrong, Nick had to admit to himself that maybe it hadn't been such a rotten weekend, after all. Not if it meant finally having all of his friends getting along with one another.


End file.
